Assessment of Assumptions in SLR

1. Linearity: There is a real linear relationship between the mean response and
the explanatory variable.

Assessment:
Scatterplot of Y vs. X: Look for a linear pattern!
Non-Linearity Linearity
Mortality (Y) vs. Wine (X) log(Mortality) vs. log(Wine)
12 2.4

2.2

10 2.0

1.8
8
1.6

1.4
6
1.2
MORTALIT

1.0
4
LNMORT

.8

2 Rsq = 0.5559 .6 Rsq = 0.7384

0 20 40 60 80 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5

WINE LNWINE
2. Equal Variability: The spread of the responses about the line is the same at
all levels of the explanatory variable.

Assessment:
Scatterplot of Y vs. X: Check for roughly the same spread about a line
across all values of X.

Scatterplot of Residuals vs. Fitted Values: Look for an equal spread about
the horizontal line at zero.

Lack of Equal Variability Equal Variability seems Satisfied

Scatterplot Scatterplot
Dependent Variable: Y Dependent Variable: LNY
8 2
Regression Standardized Residual

6
Regression Standardized Residual 1

4 0

2 -1

0 -2

-2 -3
-2 -1 0 1 2 3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3

Regression Standardized Predicted Value Regression Standardized Predicted Value

3. Normality: At any fixed X, the response variable is normally distributed
centered on the line.

Assessment:
Normal Probability Plots: Look for an increasing linear pattern.

4. Independence: All responses are independent on one another.

Assessment: Check study design.

An Illustration
On Original Scale: In the scatterplot of Y vs. X the assumptions of linearity and equal variability appear to
be violated. The scatterplot of residuals confirms the lack of equal variability.

Y vs. X Scatterplot
3000
Dependent Variable: Y
8

Regression Standardized Residual

2000
6

1000 4

0
0

-1000 -2
Y

24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 -2 -1 0 1 2 3

X Regression Standardized Predicted Value

After a log transformation in Y: In the scatterplot of Y vs. X the assumptions of linearity and equal
variability appear to be satisfied. The residual plot confirms the equal variability assumption.
lnY vs. X Scatterplot
8
Dependent Variable: LNY
2
6
Regression Standardized Residual

1
4

2 0

0 -1

-2 -2
LNY

-4 -3
24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 -2 -1 0 1 2 3

X Regression Standardized Predicted Value

Example 2: Heart Disease Mortality vs. Wine Consumption

Y vs. X: Non-linearity and Unequal log(Y) vs. log(X): The assumptions appear
Variability to be satisfied.
Mortality (Y) vs. Wine (X) log(Mortality) vs. log(Wine)
12 2.4

2.2

10 2.0

1.8
8
1.6

1.4
6
1.2
MORTALIT

1.0
4

LNMORT
.8

2 Rsq = 0.5559 .6 Rsq = 0.7384

0 20 40 60 80 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5

WINE LNWINE

Scatterplot Scatterplot
Dependent Variable: MORTALIT Dependent Variable: LNMORT
2.0 2.0
Regression Standardized Residual

Regression Standardized Residual

1.5 1.5

1.0
1.0
.5
.5
0.0
0.0
-.5
-.5
-1.0

-1.0 -1.5

-1.5 -2.0
-3.0 -2.5 -2.0 -1.5 -1.0 -.5 0.0 .5 1.0 -2.5 -2.0 -1.5 -1.0 -.5 0.0 .5 1.0 1.5

Regression Standardized Predicted Value Regression Standardized Predicted Value

Example 3

SLR Fit Separate Means (SM or I-Means) Fit

40 40

30 30

20
20

10
10

BPDROP
BPDROP

0
0 N= 6 6 6

0.0 .1 .2 .3 .4 .5 .10 .20 .40

DOSE DOSE